Spiraea plant named ‘Odessa’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spiraea  plant named ‘Odessa’, characterized by its deep rosy-pink colored flowers, dark green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-globular growth habit, is disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/282,642 filed Aug. 6, 2015.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Spiraea japonica.

Variety denomination: ‘Odessa’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spiraea plant botanically known as Spiraea japonica and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Odessa’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Boskoop, The Netherlands during the summer of 2005. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Spiraea cultivars that have rich flower colors and a more compact growth habit useful for small hedges or mass plantings.

The new Spiraea cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Little Princess’, not patented, characterized by its light pink-colored flowers, medium green colored foliage, compact-globular growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is ‘Bullata’, not patented, characterized by its medium red-purple colored flowers, dark green colored foliage, compact-globular growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during the summer of 2009 in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings since the summer of 2009 in Boskoop, The Netherlands has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Odessa’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Spiraea plant:

-   -   1. Deep rosy-pink colored flowers;     -   2. Dark green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact-globular growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in flower color, foliage color, and in having a more compact growth habit. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in flower color and in having a more compact growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Spiraea cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Lightning Strike ‘Conalex’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,473. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Conalex’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from         plants of ‘Conalex’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage color that is         darker than plants of ‘Conalex’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have a larger corolla diameter         than plants of ‘Conalex’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Odessa’. The plants were grown for two growing seasons outdoors in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Odessa’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of inflorescences of ‘Odessa’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in July 2015 under natural light conditions in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 2-liter containers for approximately 2 growing seasons outdoors in Boskoop, The Netherlands. Average daily temperatures for the summer seasons ranged from approximately 60° F. to 82° F. (15° C. to 28° C.) and average night temperatures ranged from approximately 40° F. to 68° F. (4° C. to 20° C.). Average temperatures for the winter season ranged from approximately 40° F. to 50° F. (4° C. to 10° C.) with frosts to 12° F. (−11° C.). No supplemental lighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Spiraea japonica cultivar Odessa. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—‘Little Princess’, not patented.         -   Male parent.—‘Bullata’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Softwood.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—Approximately 25 days at 20°             C.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting, summer.—Approximately 25             days at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine to thick, creamy white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 18 months from a rooted             cutting to finish in a 20 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Low mounding shrub,             moderately vigorous, compact-globular.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 30.0 cm. Width: Approximately 30.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching, pinching not             required. Aspect: Erect to 80° from center. Quantity of             lateral branches: Approximately 15.         -   Lateral branches.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately             5.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm. Length of central             internode: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color of             young stems: 149C. Color of mature stems: Woody, 199B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Fragrance: None detected. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem. Shape: Ovate. Margin:             Serrate. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Obtuse. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: Approximately             2.0 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture             of upper surface: Glabrous, moderately rugose. Texture of             lower surface: Glabrous, ribbed. Color of upper surface of             young foliage: N137A. Color of lower surface of young             foliage: N138B. Color of upper surface of mature foliage:             N137A with venation indistinguishable from leaf lamina.             Color of lower surface of mature foliage: 138B with venation             indistinguishable from leaf lamina.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Upper             surface N137A and lower surface N138B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Odessa’ is freely flowering under outdoor             growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming             from June through August.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 20 to 25 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Compound corymbs. Aspect: Facing             upward to slightly outward. Fragrance: Slightly sweet.             Quantity per plant: Approximately 12. Diameter:             Approximately 4.0 cm to 5.0 cm. Height: Approximately 3.0             cm.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Shape: Triangular. Aspect:             Mostly erect. Length: Approximately 3.0 cm to 4.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm to 1.5 mm. Texture: Glabrous.             Color: 145A. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single, rotate, not persistent.             Aspect: Upright. Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately             130.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Globose. Diameter:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Color: 58A.         -   Corolla.—Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm. Depth:             Approximately 3.0 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5, in a single whorl. Shape: Orbicular.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse. Length:             Approximately 2.5 mm. Width: Approximately 2.0 cm. Texture             of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper             surface when first open: 58B. Color of lower surface when             first open: 58C. Color of upper surface when fully open:             57D. Color of lower surface when fully open: 57D.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Star-shaped. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Depth: Approximately 2.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity: 5. Arrangement: in a single whorl. Shape:             Lanceolate. Margin: Entire. Length: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Width: Approximately 1.0 mm. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused.             Texture of inner and outer surfaces: Glabrous. Color of             upper surface when first and fully open: 145A with an             overlay of 187A. Color of lower surface when first and fully             open: 145A with an overlay of 187A.         -   Pedicles.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm.             Texture: Glabrous. Color: 145A with an overlay of 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: 5.             Stamen length: Approximately 3.5 mm. Filament length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Filament color: 58A. Anther shape:             Globose. Anther length: Approximately 0.5 mm. Anther color:             62B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color: 79B. Gynoecium:             Quantity per flower: 1 per flower. Pistil length:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma length:             Less than 1 mm. Stigma color: 58A. Style length: Less than             1 mm. Style color: 58A. Ovary length: Approximately 2.5 mm.             Ovary color: 58A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Spiraea has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Spiraea plant named ‘Odessa’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 